There we were — a bunch of classmates, their spouses, and kids, all in our colorful festive best, ready to turn a simple dinner into a Mumbai-style mela. The restaurant lights didn’t need to shine — our laughter was doing a brighter job!
We had three tables — one for the kids (the noisiest gang, of course), one for the men (the self-proclaimed food critics, stock market experts, and, of course, part-time “spouse analysts” 😏), and one for us ladies — where the chatter and giggles could easily drown out the background music.
The real fun began when someone said, “Tujhe woh yaad hai…?” — and just like that, the years melted away. Old stories, legendary goof-ups, and college memories came tumbling out, one louder and funnier than the other. Some tried to defend themselves, others pretended not to remember — but the teasing didn’t stop.
The men’s table was its own entertainment zone — juggling food reviews, road traffic cribs, the latest driving fines, and a dash of work stress. Meanwhile, at our table, we decided to pull a fast one on one of the men — insisting he looked just like SRK… bas thoda fairer version! You should’ve seen him blush — full-on DDLJ-style grin, with that classic side-eye from his wife that said it all.
But the real comedy started when our “SRK” casually mentioned Maya — their household help. Poor fellow didn’t realize what a storm he’d unleashed. Within seconds, the ladies jumped in — “Ohhh, Maya? Dil Toh Pagal Hai waali Maya?”And before he could even take a sip of water, the dialogues began flying — “Maya ek aisi ladki hai jo kabhi kisi se apne dil ki baat nahi kehti…” followed by “Maya ke liye dance sirf ek shauk nahi, ek junoon hai!”
At this point, our “fair SRK” was caught between laughing and hiding under the table, while the rest of us were in splits. Even the kids were looking over, wondering what the grown-ups had eaten that made them laugh so much.
From appetizers to desserts, it was a full-on feast — of food, friendship, and unfiltered fun. The kids had found their gang, the men had their share of stress talks and fines, and we women? We had our Maya moment that’s sure to be discussed for many Diwalis to come!
We finally ended with a big group photo — one that’s going straight into our treasure box for the years ahead. Honestly, if it wasn’t a working day next morning, we’d still be sitting there. It took someone saying, “Kal school hai aur office bhi… chalo chalo!” to bring us back to reality.
That’s the beauty of old friends — miles away from home, yet the same warmth, teasing, and laughter. This Diwali, we didn’t just celebrate — we recreated the madness of Mumbai right at our table. 💛
Blessmesai 